Raising awareness about persons with disabilities

States should take action to raise awareness in society about persons with disabilities, their rights, their needs, their potential and their contribution. States should ensure that responsible authorities distribute up-to-date information on available programmes and services to persons with disabilities, their families, professionals in this field and the general public. Information to persons with disabilities should be presented in accessible form. States should initiate and support information campaigns concerning persons with disabilities and disability policies, conveying the message that persons with disabilities are citizens with the same rights and obligations as others, thus justifying measures to remove all obstacles to full participation. States should encourage the portrayal of persons with disabilities by the mass media in a positive way; organizations of persons with disabilities should be consulted on this matter. States should ensure that public education programmes reflect in all their aspects the principle of full participation and equality. States should invite persons with disabilities and their families and organizations to participate in public education programmes concerning disability matters. States should encourage enterprises in the private sector to include disability issues in all aspects of their activity. States should initiate and promote programmes aimed at raising the level of awareness of persons with disabilities concerning their rights and potential. Increased self-reliance and empowerment will assist persons with disabilities to take advantage of the opportunities available to them.

Awareness-raising should be an important part of the education of children with disabilities and in rehabilitation programmes. Persons with disabilities could also assist one another in awareness-raising through the activities of their own organizations. Awareness-raising should be part of the education of all children and should be a component of teacher-training courses and training of all professionals.